Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee declares National Doctor's Day on July 1 as state holiday

To pay respect and acknowledge the doctors, nurses and all medical front line workers who are fighting the Coronavirus  pandemic, West Bengal government declared July 1 as a state holiday.

"1st July is Doctor's Day, after Doctor Bidhan Roy's birthday, who was the first Chief Minister of West Bengal. We are proud of our doctors and all medical staff for the way they are treating COVID," said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday.

The Chief Minister went on to state that to acknowledge the medical front line workers, the government will observe a state holiday on 1st July.

Every year on July 1, India celebrates National Doctors’ Day in honour of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, a Bharat Ratna awardee, former chief minister of West Bengal and one of the most popular Congress leaders from eastern India.

Read: Bengal BJP Gheraos Police Station To Protest Alleged Atrocities; TMC Arrives, fight Ensues

Read: Mamata Banerjee Greets People On Rath Yatra

"As it is national doctors'day, we request the Centre and other states to declare it a national holiday. We are also starting telemedicine for all other diseases throughout the entire state from 1st July. Telemedicine was available for COVID earlier. Each district will have its own telephone number." said the Chief Minister.

The first elected Chief Minister of West Bengal was crucial in the establishment of medical institutions like Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital, Victoria Institution (college), Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital and the Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and children. He even opened centres for women, where they could train in social work and nursing. Dr Roy was very active in local administration as the Mayor of Calcutta (1931-33), Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University (1942-1944), President of the Medical Council of India (1939) and the Governor of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh).

Read: Mamata Banerjee Writes To PM Modi; Shares Reservations Over FDI In Coal Mining

Read: Guv Dhankhar Slams CM Mamata-led Govt For Corruption In Cyclone Amphan Relief Distribution